It was officially “Pathaan day” for Shah Rukh Khan fans across the film industry as colleagues, directors and actors took to social media to celebrate the grand opening of the movie’s release on Wednesday.
"Pathaan", which has received positive reviews on the first day with videos of jubilant fans dancing to songs and whistling loudly as their favourite star made the entry circulating on the Internet, has created a celebratory mood in the hit-starved Hindi film industry.
Amid boycott calls and controversy over the colour of the outfit of Deepika Padukone in the movie's song "Besharam Rang", the initial reactions of the viewers and critics alike gave a lot to the film fraternity to cheer for.
Actor Raveena Tandon said she was “blown away” by the film. “#pathan OMG! Blown away! Just fantastic! @iamsrk @deepikapadukone #johnabraham. Just fantastic! Thank you being the reason for the industry to celebrate again! @yrf #sidharthanand,” the actor tweeted.
Director Rahul Dholakia, who directed Shah Rukh in “Raees” six years ago and has been vocal against the protests against the film, said it was an incredible experience to catch a houseful show of the movie. “Six years ago we released #Raees - today was Day One for #Pathaan. An incredible experience watching it in a full house show on a huge IMAX screen, with the die hard fans of @iamsrk @deepikapadukone @TheJohnAbraham @BeingSalmanKhan !! Madness !!!” the filmmaker tweeted.
Director Anurag Kashyap also watched the film on the first day and thoroughly enjoyed the action-filled spy drama. "Shah Rukh Khan has never looked this handsome ever. I had come to watch him and I feel content. And what amazing action! I don't think he has done something like this ever before," he told reporters outside a Mumbai cinema hall.
Filmmakers Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK also cheered for the film on social media. "Have always been huge fans of King Khan But this one, after his long hiatus, is uber-special. Go #Pathaan go! May you win more hearts and shatter more records @iamsrk," tweeted Raj & DK.
Composer Vishal Dadlani, who scored the music of "Pathaan" along with Shekhar Ravjiani, termed the release day of "Pathaan" as a 'tyohaar' (festival). “Aaj tyohaar hai. #Pathaan #JaiHind No spoilers, no images, no videos please. Please support the battle against piracy and report any accounts that post any such thing,” he wrote on Twitter, amid reports of the film leaking on piracy sites.
Alia Bhatt said she has never been this excited for a film. "Go Pathaan," she wrote on her Instagram Stories.
Director-choreographer Farah Khan shared a picture of the "Pathaan" poster she spotted in the city on her Instagram Stories. “BLOCKBUSTER! Pathaan is here," wrote the filmmaker, who has collaborated with Shah Rukh on films such as "Main Hoon Naa", "Om Shanti Om" and "Happy New Year".
Actor-politician Kamal Haasan also congratulated his "Hey Ram!" co-star on the film's success “Hearing great reports about Pathan. Saket congratulates Pathan. Way to go brother @iamsrk (sic)," Haasan wrote on Twitter.
Sharing the poster of the film on her Instagram Stories, Samantha Ruth Prabhu wrote, "It's Pathaan Day."
Also starring John Abraham, "Pathaan" also released in Tamil and Telugu.
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